The Chronicles of Organizaton XIII
by two-bite-brownies
Summary: Short stories on our favorite thirteen nobodies, two at a time. Chapter 2: XigbarLuxord [shounen ai]! Xigbar challenges Luxord to a game of poker, waging his eyepatch for Luxord's secret to winning. But Luxord will soon discover that there is more at risk
1. 9 plus 3 equals 12

TBB: My first attempt at a kh2 fanfic…I hope you like it. My main goal for this story is to incorporate all the members of Organization XIII because I know that there are some members that were greatly secluded in the fanfiction community. I'm just hoping to make something unique that I will like to read at the same time. Well, without further ado, I introduce you to the first two main characters of this chapter. Enjoy!

Demyx panted heavily as he collapsed onto his knees, his Sitar disintegrating into the wind. The beads of sweat dripped down from his nose onto the clean, spotless white floors of Castle oblivion. His water weaving riffs fell limp against the whirlwind lances of Xaldin, who simply stood, overlooking the poor boy with crossed arms. The dirty-blonde musician finally seemed to gain composure, once again, and began to lift himself--slowly, but painfully. Despite the tired gasps of breaths emitted by Demyx, an internal fire illuminated his eyes; the eternal green flames burned with determination. Xaldin gave an exasperated sigh, which was suddenly cut off by Demyx's words.

"Look, just give me another chance—"

"More chances aren't what you need, number nine. You need more time. Look, Demyx…you're not the youngest of this group—in fact, I've seen Zexion and Roxas behave five times your maturity. You were lucky to have just made it to our organization, but the way you….deal with things are still a little off course," Xaldin explained for the upteenth time.

"More time! I think I've waited long enough, Xaldin! Please, take me with you on your next mission…..I'm tired of all the small missions the Superior had always given me, ever since day one. I'm tired of everybody underestimating me!" Demyx attempted to summon his Sitar and continue the fight, but was interrupted by Xaldin's hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, don't push yourself. If you put too much effort in what you do, you won't exist anymore…not even as a Nobody."

The third-ranked organization member walked towards the door of the grand hall.

"Today's training is over. Freshen up and come down for dinner," spoke Xaldin, knowing fully that the boy isn't going to eat dinner tonight. Regardless, the raven-haired warrior entered a black portal and vanished from Demyx's sight.

Demyx, the Melodious Nocturne, gave a long, bitter look at the floor before stepping into his own portal, which led to his room. Walking into his sapphire blue shower stall, his hands gently turned the silver knob and a gentle downpour of warm water massaged his aching muscles. The small, but powerful streams of water seemed to soothe every sore spot on the adult's body, and Demyx simply let out a relaxing sigh and leaned against the wall.

_Water…..all I have is water…_

He spread his calloused fingers before his eyes and gently rubbed his temples.

_Damn…..sooner or later all this stress is gonna give me wrinkles like Vexen._

After what seemed like an hour, Demyx finally turned off the shower and dried himself with a large, white towel that was conveniently placed beside the shower stall. Wrapping the towel around his waist, the Sitar wielder stared at his reflection in the mirror. His emerald orbs examined the curves of his face. The pale, smooth complexion that barely formed any creases were graced by loose strands of dirty blonde hair that looked as weak as he felt. Snapping himself out of his momentary depression, Demyx found his clothes and dressed into the usual uniform consisting of black robes, black boots, pants, shirt, and socks. The window was then opened, and Organization's number nine climbed up the giant white poles of Castle Oblivion, feeling a little adventurous. Demyx finally reached his destination, only to find another man sitting in _his_ usual spot. The mysterious intruder lifted his hood to reveal Xaldin, who simply glanced at Demyx and held out a plate of food.

"So…you made it," said the Whirlwind lancer.

"How did you know I'd come here?" asked Demyx, raising an eyebrow.

"Who else lives beside your room only to hear those annoying riffs you call 'music' in the middle of the night?" countered Xaldin with a grin.

"Ahh, but The World That Never Was is always dark, how do you know it's the night?" fought Demyx back, snickering to himself.

"How do I know it's night? Night is the time when you transform into a werewolf and howl at the moon, while playing that 'rock' music," spoke Xaldin, crossing his arms with a victorious grin.

Demyx opened his mouth to speak, but closed them and pouted, walking over to Xaldin. The dirty blonde placed himself beside the whirlwind lancer, took the plate of food, and proceeded to devour it. Xaldin watched with mild interest as the Sitarist shoved fork-fulls of spaghetti and meatballs down the bottomless hole known as his mouth. Demyx suddenly choked and frantically waved to the other man for water, which was quickly handed to him. Hurriedly, the mullet-haired man took three large gulps of the liquid and was finally able to push the congesting food into his stomach. Demyx wiped his mouth with his sleeve and let out a large sigh of relief. In a way, the younger man vaguely reminded Xaldin of his youthful self, back when he still had a heart.

"Hey Xaldin.." started Demyx.

"Yeah?"

"Why do you always take care of _me_, instead of all the other members? I mean…they carry on with their lives while you have to come and 'sympathize' with me and help me with my problems while you've still got your own," asked Demyx, curious to know.

"I've told you before, number nine, I was assigned to take care of you by the Superior. The only logical reason I could think of is that the Superior and Xigbar are always out, leading top missions on their own…along with Saix. Since number one and two can't help you, number three will have to." Replied Xaldin, thoughtfully.

"Well, sorry about that….I'm pretty sure I can take care of myself, thanks. That's why I'm in Organization XIII, isn't it? I mean, I'm not just any Nobody….but I'm the weakest of the thirteen. Sometimes, I just feel---no, not feel, because I don't have a heart. But, there's just something there that…" rambled Demyx. Xaldin simply sat and listened to what the boy has to say.

"Well, you know what I mean, right? I don't feel completely emotionless, you know. I guess if Saix were here, he'd say that I'm under the impression that I'm……..sad." Demyx's voice faded, looking down on the ground.

"I'm not as quick and agile as Larxene, I'm not as deadly and silent as Marluxia, I'm not as witty and lucky as Luxord, I'm not as bold and rebellious as Axel, I'm not as devious and powerful as Saix, I'm not as clever and persuasive as Zexion, I'm not as strong and determined as Lexaeus, I'm not as logical and creative as Vexen, I'm not as accurate and instinctive as Xigbar, I'm not as mighty and intelligent as the leader, and I'm not as fierce and proud like you, Xaldin," mumbled Demyx, looking at his hands, and clenching them into a fist. Xaldin has had enough. The older man suddenly stood up and looked up into the sky.

"Demyx…..you have something that sets you apart from the rest of us. None of us can be as vibrant and unwavering as you. Maybe you're not strong enough, or fast enough, or powerful enough, or clever enough _yet_. But these attributes are something that you build upon yourself, as time passes by. Nobody is born a mastermind, or with super strength. But, not everyone is born with the vibrance of youth that follows them for the rest of their life. Nor is everyone born with unwavering determination that gets them back up, no matter how many times they've fallen down. Everytime you play your sitar, I hear difference, challenge, and youthful riffs that only you can play on your own. You can't find success by following other people's path. You must create a path with the gifts that you were given, the things that you know best. One day, I know you will become one of the most powerful nobodies in this organization. All you need is patience." Xaldin finished his monologue, surprised at the words spilled from his own mouth.

Demyx stared at Xaldin in shock. Here, before him, was a man who hardly utters twenty words during a normal conversation. Xaldin has always been known as a strong and silent fighter, who speaks his thoughts through his fighting. Demyx chuckled to himself, earning a confused stare from the older man.

"Xaldin….I may be a Nobody, but if I'm under the impression of happiness, then this is as happy as it gets," Demyx said warmly.

"Whatever. I've already damaged my ego enough just cheering you up. If you ever speak a word of this to the others—"

"I know, I know. Whirlwind lances up my ass. I was just surprised, that's all," spoke Demyx, giving a toothy grin. Xaldin uttered a rough 'hmph' and walked back towards the stairs leading down to his own room.

"I'm sleeping. Do me a favor and don't rehearse tonight," said the older, and disappeared.

Demyx grinned to himself and looked at the stars above. For some reason, they seemed more beautiful than before.

_I think I'll sleep under the stars tonight…….._

TBB: Hey! I hope you all enjoyed my first chapter. Just to point it out, this is a Demyx Xaldin friendship fic. If you want it to be yaoi, go ahead. Make it in your mind ;)

R&R is welcomed! Flames will be ignored :p


	2. 10 x 2 equals 20

TBB: Well, I can't wait to start this chapter, so let's go! Oh, by the way, it's Xigbar/Luxord. This isn't a very popular couple, and yet, I've fallen in love with this pairing. Go ahead; give them a shot ;)

Castle Oblivion, home to the most notorious, powerful, sharp, and attractive Nobodies, cleverly dubbed Organization XIII, was looking a little empty today. One would think that such a fearsome group of heartless byproducts who has nobody but themselves to fend off the universe on their own would be a close family filled with support and providence. However, take a closer look at the group before you and you'll notice that small alliances and backstabbing have created charred holes in the family portrait of Organization XIII. First, there's Marluxia and Larxene, a duo that formed to overthrow the organization. There's also Axel, who hastily joins a gorup, and abandons it just as quick. Don't forget Xemnas and Saix, two selfish leaders who would stop at nothing to complete the formation of Kingdom Hearts. And then there was the threesome who wanted to gain control of Riku: Zexion, Lexaeus, and Vexen. But what of the remaining members? Demyx and Xaldin seemed to become good friends. Roxas' intentions still remains unknown, which leaves us with our protagonists of the day: Xigbar and Luxord.

Xigbar descended the long, white stairs of Castle Oblivion, greeted only by the soft taps coming from the light treads know as his footsteps. Walking with a blank mind towards the kitchen, the freeshooter suddenly perked up at the smell of fresh coffee emitted from his destination. A knowing grin graced his scarred face as he quietly tip toed to the kitchen area, playing spy on the chef. As soon as Xigbar's head peeked out from the corner that was his hiding spot, a sharp card was flung towards his face, and was narrowly avoided thanks to the gunner's fast reflexes.

"Feeling moody today, Luxord?" Xigbar growled at the assaulter.

Luxord gave a careless shrug and lifted his mouth from his coffee mug.

"I thought you were a heartless, Xigbar. Besides, now you're fully awake, right?" Luxord teased. Although he didn't show a grin on his face, Xigbar could tell through his eyes that Luxord was laughing at him.

The Organization's number two rolled his eye and walked up to the dining table, pouring himself a cup of coffee. Taking the white pitcher beside the coffee machine, the eye-patched gunslinger added a small amount of cream, with no sugar. His gazed drifted across the table and landed on a small pile of discarded sugar packs whose contents were now swirling in Luxord's mug of coffee.

"How do you eat all that sugar without acting like Axel or Larxene?" asked Xigbar, greatly amused.

Luxord shrugged once again, this time putting his empty mug down on the table.

"Every person's body handles their sugars differently. Axel and Larxene are naturally high, so maybe it isn't the sugar or the caffeine's fault. As for me, I am the best at controlling my emotions and my state of mind since I _am_ a gambler." Luxord stated, like common knowledge.

"So…. are you saying that your mild range of emotions are what keeps you winning every time?" asked Xigbar, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Although we are Nobodies…yes. You could say that," answered the blonde, turning over to face the older man.

"I don't believe you. Gambler of fate or not, I bet I can prove you wrong," suggested the gunner, a spark of challenge glimmering in his eye. Luxord raised an eyebrow at this.

"Then let's wager on it," spoke Luxord, taking out a deck of cards, "I've always been interested in……this," said the dealer, pointing at Xigbar's eye patch.

Organization's number two retained a calm look on his face, and opened his mouth to speak.

"Fine. But if I win……you'll have to teach me your secret." responded Xigbar, giving the younger man an evil grin.

"I'm not a magician, Xigbar. There are no secrets to strategies. But, whatever floats your boat…" sighed Luxord, still keeping his poker face.

_Just you wait, number ten…I'm going to break that poker face of yours…, _the freeshooter thought to himself, the malevolent grin still plastered onto his face.

"Earth to Xigbar," said Luxord aloud. The older man snapped out of his trance.

"What game?" asked the blue-eyed shuffler.

"Uh….Poker?" Xigbar replied, waiting to see the other man crack into a devious grin. But that didn't happen. Luxord simply nodded at the request and proceeded to deal five cards, back and forth, to both players.

"Whoever reaches ten wins first, gets their end of the bargain," stated Luxord, and a nod from Xigbar was received. Upon observing his hand, Xigbar gave a wide grin and chuckled to himself. Luxord raised an eyebrow.

"So…I guess you're not discarding those," said the blonde.

"Hell no I'm not. Well, are you ready?" Xigbar asked, and turned over his hand, revealing a full house of three Jacks and two nines. Luxord gave a light yawn and revealed his hand of a straight flush of a Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of hearts. Xigbar's jaw dropped at Luxord's incredible hand, barely catching said man's professional shuffling.

"One to nothing," Luxord stated plainly, earning an annoyed 'hmph' from Xigbar.

The next few games followed basically the same pattern. Xigbar couldn't understand—what kind of mystical force could have possibly blessed his opponent with such luck?

The eye-patched gunner bit his lower lip in aggrevation. To discard or not to discard? Even though his hand consists of four sevens and a lonely six, he was sure that Luxord had something better in his hand.

_Time is running out….the score is 9:0, in favor of Luxord. Dammit….I still can't beat that hand of his!_

Xigbar looked at the five cards nestling in his hands, his brain working on overdrive.

_This whole time I've been playing under his cards, his rules…… maybe it's time I make him play by **my** rules. _

"Luxord…." started Xigbar.

"Hmm?" mumbled the blonde.

"….I give up," spoke the freeshooter, putting his cards down on the table. Luxord froze for a second, not speaking a word.

"….Very well. Then that means I get to see what's underneath that eye patch of yours," said Luxord, maintaining a calm voice.

_You're tough….I'll admit that, Luxord….but this final trick is going to destroy you. Once and for all….. _Xigbar laughed evilly to himself, as he watched the gambler of fate approach him. He could see that, as calm as Luxord may appear, his steps are cautious and alert, ready to dodge away from any unexpected surprises.

The blue-eyed dealer finally stopped in front of Xigbar, eyeing the black patch that has been covering the gunner's right eye, ever since he has been introduced into the Organization. Xigbar gave a sigh, and lifted both his hands behind his head to undo the knot that attached the patch to his face.

"Luxord….behind this eyepatch lies………"

Luxord could feel anticipation rising within him. Nothing has really gotten him this excited for a long time, more specifically, nothing since he had become a Nobody…

The stretchy black string hung loose, and the black padded material was removed to reveal….

_Another eye!_

Before Luxord could react from the slight disappointment of the surprise, Xigbar's hand pushed the back of his head and pressed their lips together in a strong, tantalizing kiss. The blonde gambler was so stricken by surprise that his whole body froze at the instant of contact.

Xigbar finally pulled away from the lip-lock and gave a huge, victorious grin.

"Looks like I win, Luxord," Xigbar said silkily.

That's when it hit the younger man---Xigbar never wanted to learn his card tricks and strategies, the man just wanted to break his poker face; his pride!

…_That bastard!_

Luxord scowled at the gunslinger, who was now howling in laughter. Tears were practically spilling from his eyes. Suddenly, Luxord's scowl was replaced by a mischevious grin that would even scare Jack Skellington out of his Santa clause costume.

"Xigbar," Luxord started, walking up to the gunslinger.

"Hmm?" Xigbar uttered, as he turned around to face Luxord, only to be shoved into the wall with a tongue thrust down his throat. Luxord grinned through the kiss, as he expertly maneuvered his tongue to explore every crevasse of Xigbar's mouth, feeling the other man's breathing accelerate. Through silenced moans and wet kisses, the pierced gambler's own breath was running short, so he gave one last lap of Xigbar's mouth, and playfully bit his lower lip before breaking apart the hot kiss, leaving the other man gasping for air.

"I always win."

Before the gunner could react, Luxord was engulfed in a black aura, and vanished into thin air.

Xigbar steadied his breath, as a deep blush coloured his cheeks while the scarred gunslinger reflected on what had just taken place. After a short moment, his lips curved into a grin. Xigbar briskly made his way out the kitchen, up the stairs, and into his room; his mind now filled will fresh new thoughts.

Whatever that was, he definitely saw a spark in the gambler's eyes.

TBB: Well, what did you think of that? This is definitely a different take on how I do my romantic stories. To me, Xigbar/Luxord is a very special pairing, so they deserved a very special story! Please R&R, I want to see what you think!


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